Reading Adventure

Last night I performed the second of two “Reading Adventure Nights” at Lewis & Clark Elementary.  What a blast!  About 80 kids celebrated the joys of reading and storytelling by playing games, reading stories, participating in Reader’s Theater, and getting to hear “Farmer Eric” tell stories of vegetables and grow a flowering vine out of a cereal box from “magic seeds.”  I love the combination of stories and a wee bit of magic.  For the two 30-minute programs, I shared Eric Kimmel’s wonderful version of “Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock,” a story from Caroline Feller Bauer’s excellent book, “New Handbook for Storytellers” called “Cheese, Peas, and Chocolate Pudding” that I personalized a bit, and a wonderfully fun magic trick/story from her other book, “Leading Kids to Books through Magic” that I tweaked to call “Fresh Veggies Sold Here Today” that just left the kids mystified.  I finished up with a short African tale from Heather Forest’s book, “WonderTales from Around the World” called “Talk, Talk” that includes a talking yam.  Definitely a fun, veggie-centered evening had by all.